the link to gender is said to be one reason why singapore's economy has taken off. but while women seek fulfillment in their careers, they tend to put less emphasis on getting married or raising children. a government survey in 2010 showed 54% of women in their late 20s were still single, up 14 percentage points from a decade earlier. masahiro yamada is a japanese expert on family lifestyles has conducted research into the marriage trends of young singaporeans. >> translator: i think that there are two elements. one is that the people are choosing not to have children because they prioritize their career or hobbies, as in european countries. the other is that they limit the number of children so that they can spend more money and time on their offspring. i call this tendency the asian type of falling birth rate. >> reporter: 33-year-old charmaine ho is a reporter for a fashion magazine. eight years into her career, she's now a senior writer. she often has to work late or spend her days off writing from home. one day she wants to start her own business. ho is getting